"At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man - they were an awe inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze - knee to knee and horse to horse - the dying sun glinting on bayonet points..." Trooper Ion Idriess

The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre aims to present an accurate history as chroniclers of early Australian military developments from 1899 to 1920.

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We have had an encounter with the Boers in force three miles out from this place on both flanks. We shelled the enemy, who evacuated their positions. They then held some - kopjes in strength on our right and left front. The Bushmen charged under heavy fire and finally drove the enemy from their positions, which we occupied and held all night.

Our casualties were one officer and three men killed, one officer and ten men wounded.

Six Boers were found dead, including Commandant Schwaartz, and they had probably many wounded. They own to 15 unaccounted for.

(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.)

MAFEKING, AUG. 17.

General Carrington engaged a small party of the enemy yesterday at Malmani. An intermittent fire was kept up all day. The enemy are now supposed to be retreating on Zeerust. The casualties were insignificant.

During part of the course of his military service with the AIF, 2823 Private Herbert Leslie Schramm, a farmer from White's River, near Tumby Bay on the Eyre Peninsular, kept a diary of his life. Bert was not a man of letters so this diary was produced with great effort on his behalf. Bert made a promise to his sweetheart, Lucy Solley, that he would do so after he received the blank pocket notebook wherein these entries are found. As a Brigade Scout since September 1918, he took a lead part in the September 1918 breakout by the Allied forces in Palestine. Bert's diary entries are placed alongside those of the 9th Light Horse Regiment to which he belonged and to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade to which the 9th LHR was attached. On this basis we can follow Bert in the context of his formation.

Bert Schramm's Diary, 7 April 1919

Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 4 - 7 April 1919

[Click on page for a larger print version.]

Diaries

Bert Schramm

Monday, April 7, 1919

Bert Schramm's Location - Zagazig, Egypt.

Bert Schramm's Diary - Nothing doing but no word of a move homewards. The rations here are something damnable and if one is kept here much longer it will be a case of dying from starvation.

Below is a transcription from a manuscript submitted by by Major R. Smith called 1st Australian Signal Troop. This is Page 1.

Formation of Troop in Australia, training in Egypt and work on Gallipoli at Anzac and Helles.

On August the 19th 1914, all the members of the 10th and 21st Signal Troops and 26th. Coy who had volunteered the requisite medical examination were ordered to report at Street Barracks, South Melbourne where they were attested and sworn in. Then the men were drafted into the 1st Signal Troop, that is men who under the Compulsory Training Act had previously served in the 3 units mentioned above.

The C.O. Capt. E. W. Downing ( late 21st Sig. Troop ) took command and the N.C.0's were chosen from the above units, and the 2 Wireless Sections which had been used for training at the annual camps.

August 20th:

The Troop moved by train to Broadmeadows where 14 O.R.'s from the Signal Engineers Sydney, joined us, and camp was made and the personnel drafted to the various sections which comprised the Troop i.e. Signallers, Telephone Sections, wireless Sections, Motor Cyclists and Cyclists, 4 drivers and 1 shoeing smith. Fortunately the whole personnel of the Troop were men who had been trained previously in the Compulsory Trainees and the usual Squad Drill and :routine to which a raw recruit must be subject, was not necessary and skeleton schemes were organised and carried out in the vicinity of Donnybrook, Sydney Rd., Deep Creek and Euroka. All of which helped to bring the Troop up to its high standard of efficiency and stood all members in good stead in the months which followed.

It was not until we had been in camp for, 2 weeks that we were issued with our horses and then all members put through a riding test and those who were a little uncomfortable taken in hand and taught horse management. The wireless sections were worked hard and were brought to a very high standard of efficiency creating a record for erecting station in 3 minutes which has not yet been beaten.

Our period of training in Broadmeadows lasted 2 month; and we embarked at Victoria Docks 20/10/17 [20/10/14, ed.], sailed to Egypt the Karroo the voyage taking 7 weeks owing to the waiting at various ports for coaling provisions etc. (Ports) Albury, [Albany, ed.] Colombo, Aden, Suez and Alexandria.

During the voyage it was impossible to carry out training to a very great extent owing to the number of horses we had to look after.

The whole morning was taken up in the cleaning of the horse deck and the afternoons in exercising the horses which was done by walking each animal around the horse deck for 20 minutes and it proved worth while for we only lost one horse for the whole voyage and that from pneumonia.

Lord Roberts has sent the following telegrams to the Secretary of State for War :

Pretoria, Aug. 18, 8.35 p.m.

Carrington reports that the enemy, with which Erroll was engaged, were driven back from the strong positions they held at Buffelshoek on the 16th; one of their commanders, Swartz, was severely wounded. Our casnalties were:- Killed, New Zealand Mounted Infantry, Captain Harvey and two men; wounded, nine men. The New Zealanders particularly distinguished themselves.

De Wet has reappeared between Rustenburg and Commando's Nek, and yesterday evening sent a messenger with a flag of truce to BadenPowell, who commands at the Nek, calling upon him to surrender. Baden-Powell, in his reply, derisively asked what terms he was prepared to give. De Wet probably only wished to find out whether Commando's Nek was strongly held, for when he found it was he changed his route and marched in a more northerly direction. Baden-Powell is keeping in touch with him.

Paget, who arrived here two days ago with his brigade, has occupied Waterval on the railway 15 miles north of this; in an engagement he hadwith the enemy today five of his Yeomanry were wounded.

During part of the course of his military service with the AIF, 2823 Private Herbert Leslie Schramm, a farmer from White's River, near Tumby Bay on the Eyre Peninsular, kept a diary of his life. Bert was not a man of letters so this diary was produced with great effort on his behalf. Bert made a promise to his sweetheart, Lucy Solley, that he would do so after he received the blank pocket notebook wherein these entries are found. As a Brigade Scout since September 1918, he took a lead part in the September 1918 breakout by the Allied forces in Palestine. Bert's diary entries are placed alongside those of the 9th Light Horse Regiment to which he belonged and to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade to which the 9th LHR was attached. On this basis we can follow Bert in the context of his formation.

Bert Schramm's Diary, 6 April 1919

Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 4 - 7 April 1919

[Click on page for a larger print version.]

Diaries

Bert Schramm

Sunday, April 6, 1919

Bert Schramm's Location - Zagazig, Egypt.

Bert Schramm's Diary - Nothing worth recording. There is no news. The Brigade received more horses today so there doesn't seem much chance of us getting away soon.

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Zagazig, Egypt.

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Voluntary church services RC in Church, Zagazig while other denominations had their services at 9th Light Horse Regiment.

Kildea, Lieutenant FJ, with mounted troop, proceeded to El Abbasa to garrison and patrol that area.

Darley

Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924.

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